Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Youth Ministry E-News
February 2010
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| OYYAM | Justice | Other Events | Retreats | Resources |
Re-Ignite:
Rediscover your vision for life-changing youth ministry. Save the date
for this exciting ministry enrichment day presented by Group Publishing's Jim
Knowles. Join us Monday, Mar. 8 at Incarnation Church (55
Williamsburg Lane, Centerville, 45459) for an engaging workshop that will:-
Re-ignite your initial calling to youth ministry
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Re-vive your teens' Catholic faith
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Re-late to Jesus with 14 ideas and strategies
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Re-focus what you do
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Re-ceive lunch, lots of free products, and exclusive discounts on the latest Group products!
How can you make teens' Catholic faith
relevant to their lives? The US Bishops have offered a framework for publishers
regarding adolescent catechesis and many of the direct themes have to do with a
more thorough understanding of Jesus and His role in their lives. How can you
make this happen? Come and see! For more information, check out our
website at
www.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin.
Tips,
Tools and Techniques for Making Better Meetings: a two-workshop series to
help you get the most out of every meeting you lead or attend with youth and
adults. Are any of these something you might say?
-
My staff meetings are a waste of time. I wish I could do something about them, but I'm not in charge.
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Its easy to lead a small group when kids want to talk. What do I do when they don't?
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I have trouble maintaining control with my large group. I have to spend most of my time getting them to quiet down.
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What do I do about that one kid that is always joking around and distracting the rest of the group?
Join us at St. Susanna Parish (616 Reading Rd.
in Mason, OH 45040) for two sessions, Wednesdays Feb. 24
and Mar. 3, 1-3:30 PM. For more information and to
register, check out our website at
www.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin.
Youth
In Conversation With God: Empowering Teens to Pray. Effective and grace-full
prayer and worship with youth can awaken and nurture a deeper spirituality and
prepare them for "full, conscious and active" participation in the sacramental
life of the faith community. Join us April 30-May 1 (7pm Friday to 5pm
Saturday) for an overnight seminar that provides sound principles of prayer,
rooted in the Catholic tradition, equipping adults with creative approaches that
engage young people in a variety of personal prayer forms and corporate worship.
More information will be available on our website in upcoming weeks. 
TACKLE
(Teens Advocating Change through Knowledge Leadership and Experience) coming
June 20-25!
Don't let your youth miss this powerful immersion
experience, an inspiring and challenging week that develops youth into strong,
justice-focused, Catholic leaders. The week includes community building, prayer,
and service learning directly from community leaders and those in need from our
own communities. Check out the TACKLE link on our homepage
at
www.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin for more information.
CRS
Food Fast. Looking for a great
Lenten (or any time!) activity you can do with your teens that is educational, spiritual, interactive,
fun, doesn't cost much money, and raises money for the poor? Try a 24-Hour Food Fast.
The 2009-2010 Food Fast CD-ROM provides resources you need to design a Food
Fast, including planning guides, forms, promotional resources, and activities
that focus on hunger and poverty. Visit
www.foodfast.org to order your FREE materials. 
Grub
for Justice: bring your high school students to St. Xavier High School on
Thursday, February 18 from 6:45-8:45 PM for the another gathering on issues
of peace and justice in a casual setting...with food! This grub's
topic is on "Where are your clothes made?". Looking at the the
conservative American value of "An honest day's work equals an honest day's
pay", we'll explore how for many, including working children, that doesn't
happen. The speaker will be Kelsey Timmerman. After the presentation we will all discuss what we
have learned and how we can make a difference as Catholics in our community.
Sponsored by C-STAT (the Cincinnati chapter of the Catholic Social Teaching
Action Team). 
Operation Rice Bowl:
Each year, Operation Rice Bowl calls us to pray with our families and faith
communities; fast in solidarity with those who hunger; learn more about our
global community and the challenges of poverty overseas; and give
sacrificial contributions to those in need. ORB aims to educate participants on issues
faced by the poor in the developing world and to raise funds for CRS' overseas development
projects. Your participation in Operation Rice Bowl ensures that Catholic Relief
Services can continue to provide assistance to those in need in more than
100 countries. Order your free 2010 Operation Rice Bowl materials by calling 1-800-222-0025
or going to the website at http://orb.crs.org.
Good
Shepherd Ministries (www.GoodShepherdMinistries.net
) Good Shepherd Ministries’ Furniture Clothing & Linen Pantry (Garage of 185
Shoup Mill Rd., Dayton, Ohio) has new opening times. It is now open on
the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month from 9AM until the last client is
helped. The Good Shepherd Ministries' pantry accepts all types of clothing
(work, casual and interview attire), bedding, toiletries, furniture and
appliances. To donate, you will find the pantry near the corner of the 4800
block of N. Main St. in Dayton. it is a tan, vinyl-sided house facing across
from Horizon Academy. For more information on helping out, please contact Dale Nieberding at
dalenieberding@sbcglobal.net
or (937) 252-5700 X247.
Pure
Energy is the largest set of middle school youth rallies in the East Side of
Cincinnati. Come experience the living power of Christ and His Church as middle
schoolers gather from all over Cincinnati to live out their faith. Gather your
middle schoolers and join speaker Dan DeMatte at the next Pure Energy event at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Cafeteria in Cincinnati (7820 Beechmont Ave., 45225) on Friday Feb. 12
from 6-8:30 PM. Each Pure Energy night has all of the following ingredients:
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snacks and drinks
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crazy games to get the blood flowing
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live music and praise by our High School band
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hilarious skits put on by the High School Leadership team
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audience games for prizes
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a dynamic big name Catholic speaker
and
much more!
For more information check out the website at
www.pureenergycinci.info.
Matt
Maher in Concert: Worship artist and renowned
songwriter Matt Maher, whose breakout composition, "Your Grace is Enough"
appeared on his 2008 debut album, is coming to Ohio. Come see Matt Maher in
concert March 13 at 7 PM at Parkway High School Auditorium
(400 Buckeye St., Rockford, 45882, near Lima, OH). Opening performance by Krista
Evans and the Bridge Band. Tickets are: Adults: $15 and Children
(under 12) $10, but contact Steve or Betsy Merrill at
smerrill1@bright.net for special
discounts for groups of high school youth (or just to purchase tickets). 
The 2010 National Catholic Youth Choir
is currently accepting student applications. The
National Catholic Youth Choir is a summer music camp open to Roman Catholic
youth entering 10th-12th grade in the summer of 2010. The program takes place
June 15-29, 2010 on the beautiful wooded grounds of Saint John's Abbey and
Saint John's University in central Minnesota. Camp includes a multi-state tour,
concert performances, CD recording and of course fun! The singers learn
about Catholic liturgy and how the treasury of sacred music fits in Catholic
worship today. The choir also sings contemporary and newly-written music.
Choristers have had their faith renewed and have become excited to be a
believing Catholic. They are very proud of the great music they make.
Additional Information can be found on the website at
www.CatholicYouthChoir.org.
Application forms are online and are due March 8, 2010. For more
information, go to
www.catholicyouthchoir.org.
Healing Through the Heart of
Jesus Conference: Join Fr. Christopher Crotty, C.P.M and Moira Noonan (former
New Age practitioner) in exploring the devious influences of the New Age
movement (black and white magic, fortune telling, “paranormal” fascination,
vampirism, etc.) on our youth and society. This conference will take place
Feb. 12 (6-9 PM) and Feb. 13 (10 AM to 9 PM) at the Our Lady of the Holy Spirit
Center (5440 Moeller Ave., Norwood). We ask for a donation of $20
to attend. If you know of someone who has been
touched by this or you have to address these concerns, please come to this
event. Call 513-351-9800 or e-mail
events@olhsc.org to register and for details.
NET Ministries
is in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
until Feb. 23, 2010 NET Ministries is a retreat ministry that challenges young Catholics to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church. The retreats, typically for youth in grades 7-12, are high-energy experiences using large group presentations, small group discussion, music, drama, personal faith sharing, one-on-one prayer, and the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, given at your parish or school. The goals of the retreat are to help young people understand and accept God’s unconditional love for them, to offer the faith of the team as a witness that faith in God is a desirable and exciting part of their lives, and to encourage young people to grow in their commitment to Jesus Christ and the Church. To schedule a NET retreat or to learn more about NET retreats visit www.netusa.org or contact John Popp at jpoppDRE@gmail.com.
Kairos
Retreat: February 19-21 for high school seniors and younger adults, an event
that will change the way young people approach the rest of their lives. Begins
9am on Friday and ends 7pm Sunday at the Athenaeum of Ohio in Beechmont.
Cost of $75 includes accommodations, 7 meals, special mementos, all
materials and carpooling! Registration deadline is Friday,
February 10th. Adult chaperones and drivers also needed! For more
information go to
http://youth.stjohnwc.org/kairos.htm or e-mail Debbie at
dkreiner@stjohnwc.org. 
Praying
with Ignatius: Following upon full-house attendance last year, the
Jesuit Spiritual Center will again offer a four-evening Lenten retreat on the
consecutive Wednesdays of Feb. 24 and March 3, 10 and 17. The retreat will
offer an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and will seek
to deepen the prayer habits and spiritual lives of attendees. Each evening will
include a specific topic as well as prayer, scripture-reading and small group
sharing. The retreat will be led by Fr. Cy Whitaker, SJ, associate pastor of St.
Xavier Church. For more information, or to register, call (513) 248-3500, ext.
10, or visit
www.jesuitspiritualcenter.com.
Wrapped in God’s Love, a
weekend personally directed retreat for women, will be offered March 5-7
at the Jesuit Spiritual Center by Dede Swinehart, Wanda Wetli, CSJ and a team of
spiritual directors. Enter into the Lenten spirit by wrapping yourself in
silence, reflection, spiritual direction and prayer. For more information, call
(513) 248-3500, ext. 10. call (513) 248-3500, ext. 10, or visit
www.jesuitspiritualcenter.com.
Need
Some Help Understanding How to
Podcast? Check out this helpful video from Greg Thompson, Coordinator of
Youth Ministry for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison, Alabama.
In this 12 minute video, Greg gives some tips on how to make a video podcast.
If you don't know how to find the power button on your video camera, this
will not help. If, however, you have some technical skill and are willing to
take some time to experiment and learn a little more, this might be worth a
look to give some extra tips for those who aren't sure where to begin. Check
out the video at
http://www.mycatholicvoice.com/media/dfKQUy, and happy podcasting! 
Make connections with families on the topic of underage drinking: Help
the parents of the youth in your parish increase awareness regarding the
facts of underage drinking. Register for a session with local law
enforcement regarding underage drinking laws, facts, and safe storage or
alcohol in the home. Registering will also give you a chance to win
free tickets to attend the #10 ranked Xavier Women's Basketball game. For
more information about this initiative and others, log on to
www.DrugFreeCincinnati.org.
This is a program of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater
Cincinnati.
Youth Ministry Access: Do you wish you had the latest and
greatest resources at your fingertips? Youth Ministry Access, an
online subscription for leaders, has hundreds of fully-designed sessions for
gathered youth nights, extended events, and retreats, for high school and
middle school. It has online training for your youth and adults, journal
articles, and non-gathered ideas to connect to youth and family, all for as
little as
$2.88 or $4.33 a week. Visit the Youth Ministry Access preview site,
and download free materials:
http://secure.cmdnet.org/access_main.cfm.
Best wishes to you in your ministry with youth!
pray-as-you-go.org
Pray-as-you-go is a free daily prayer session designed for use on your
portable MP3 players, to help you pray while traveling to and from work,
study, etc. It is not a 'Thought for the Day', a sermon or a bible-study,
but rather a framework for your own prayer. Lasting between 10 and 13
minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection.
The aim is to help you to-
become more aware of God's presence in your life
- listen to and reflect on God's word
- grow in your relationship with God
It is produced by Jesuit Media
Initiatives, with material written by a number of British Jesuits and other
experts in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Although the content
is different every day, it keeps the same basic format. Visit
pray-as-you-go.org for more
information and to get started today!
Need an easier way to
communicate with your teens or staff? Can't decide whether to send an e-mail,
text message or Facebook posting? Check out
www.Flocknote.com, a free, new
Catholic website that could be perfect for your Catholic parish. Here's a brief
description of how the site works: Catholic group leaders simply create
"feeds" for every group that they lead. They can then post notes and documents
on this feed to share with their members. Then, group members subscribe to
the feeds and choose how they want to receive their notes: by email, text
message, Facebook , or on the website itself. You can even attach documents that
group members can download - like newsletters, event flyers, permission slips,
etc. And the best part? It's 100% free - and 100% Catholic. So check
out the website and give it a try!
E-mails and addresses change quickly this day and age, and sometimes it is difficult for us to keep up.
Please go to our website at
www.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin and click on the mailing list update link on the bottom of the
page. Please fill it out, hit submit, and you're done! If you know anyone who is no longer
receiving this youth ministry e-zine but would like to, invite them to fill one out too. Return as
often as you like, whenever anything changes.
ABOUT THE E-News: The Youth Ministry E-News is a periodic on-line publication of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. The Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry frequently forwards information about church-related youth ministry events and opportunities as a service to the youth ministry leaders of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Forwarding information does not imply Archdiocesan endorsement, sponsorship or approval. For more details about youth ministry opportunities offered specifically by our office, check out our website at www.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin.
Peace,
Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
E-mail:
cintioym@catholiccincinnati.org